Measles: To Disneyland and Beyond

[Charlie09]

""The measles virus is probably the most contagious infectious disease known to mankind," says Stephen Cochi, a senior adviser with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's global immunization division."

http://www.npr.org/2015/01/30/382716075/measles-is-a-killer-it-took-145-000-lives-worldwide-last-year

"The rest of the world hasn't been so fortunate. Last year roughly 250,000 people came down with measles; more than half of them died."

""It's really traveling Americans who are unvaccinated, then return to the United States with the measles virus, that are causing most of the measles in the U.S. currently," he says."

"Cochi adds that someone infected with measles may be contagious for 24 to 48 hours before feeling sick. So a returning traveler could spread the disease and not even know it."

""The children under 5 are very vulnerable to measles," Robinson says. They're the primary target of vaccination campaigns. "It takes just a few days to get them vaccinated but it also takes a very short time for the virus to kill them."

I actually remember mass vaccinations. Not by force, but through a public education campaign and the memory of the disease of polio. When I was in elementary school the oral vaccine (Sabin Oral) vaccine for polio was approved and there was a massive public health effort to immunize the population. We had "Sabin Oral Sundays" and whole families went to receive the vaccine--on sugar cubes, or a dropped into the mouth for infants. As I recall we needed three successive doses or full protection. We have eradicated polio through such efforts.

But with regard to your children and grandchildren, I think that the scenario more to be feared is that, unless your daughters (and granddaughters) have/had the disease as children, they could be exposed during pregnancy, enhancing the risk of birth defects. And unless your sons (and grandsons) have mumps during childhood, they could contract it as an adult with resultant serious impacts including sterility.

Now those are just the direct impacts to your family. There are also indirect impacts through the exposure of people with allergies that prevent inoculation, illness or age issues that preclude protection or those with compromised immune systems.

Since you believe that you have thoroughly researched the issue, I am curious at how you have weighed each of these risks. The folks who set immunization protocols (like the CDC), actually weigh peer-reviewed research and compare the epidemiological risks all the way around in making their recommendations. Frankly, I'll stick with their findings over amateurs chasing around the internet.

which safety peer reviewed research are you talking about?

 

[Charlie09]

I grabbed the wrong quote above -
Also in Philadelphia in the 90's - there were in fact forced vaccinations

 

[Hiandmighty]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d1720fc5ccb64c77b468af8420949361/commuter-measles-prompts-california-transit-warning

Bay area: commuter on BART has measles...

 

[Hiandmighty]

http://abc7.com/health/parents-hope-babys-measles-serves-as-cautionary-tale/513738/

Infant contracted measles: parents believe from Disneyland-- want people to vaccinate their kids.

 

[Hiandmighty]

http://redbook.solutions.aap.org/selfserve/ssPage.aspx?SelfServeContentId=measles

Measles guidance for practitioners released early from American Academy of Pediatricians.

 

[nrdsb4]

Hiandmighty, the problem with stories like that is that the only people they move are like minded individuals. The anti-vaxxers have made their viewpoints perfectly clear: the vulnerable and the young are not their responsibility, not their problem, and basically it sucks to be you.

 

[Hiandmighty]

Hiandmighty, the problem with stories like that is that the only people they move are like minded individuals. The anti-vaxxers have made their viewpoints perfectly clear: the vulnerable and the young are not their responsibility, not their problem, and basically it sucks to be you.

While riding the coattails of herd immunity.

 

[Hiandmighty]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-health-officials-warn-against-measles-parties/

California officials warn parents to not throw "measles parties"...

 

[MyBelle]

Hiandmighty, the problem with stories like that is that the only people they move are like minded individuals. The anti-vaxxers have made their viewpoints perfectly clear: the vulnerable and the young are not their responsibility, not their problem, and basically it sucks to be you.

What sucks even more is to be their kid, who will pay a dear price by not being allowed into day cares or school or places like public swimming pools without vaccinations. Much longer-lasting consequences than dealing with the brief side-effects that might come with a vaccine.

JMO

 

[Margo/Mom]

Safety peer reviewed research? Doesn't work that way. What we would be talking about is more like meta-analysis of multiple studies looking at multiple factors known and suspected. There are studies that have established for instance the rate of disease in immunized vs non-immunized populations. As specific concerns have arisen--such as the purported autism link, there have been studies examining the rates of autism in immunized vs non-immunized populations. And then there is a balancing act. Are the stats regarding overall risk higher in populations that experience the disease, or populations that experience the immunization. No--I have not attempted to replicate the work of the CDC and others in this matter--I scarcely consider myself qualified. But apparently many who have chosen not to vaccinate do consider themselves more highly qualified than the CDC (not to mention other groups both nationally and internationally).

 

[Hiandmighty]

"Adults 20 years and older make up 59% of confirmed measles illnesses — and most had no record of being immunized as children. Now, health officials are wrestling with how to better monitor the vaccination levels of adults to prevent even broader spread of the disease. Right now, officials focus on tracking immunizations of young children."

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82790429/

 

[nrdsb4]

What sucks even more is to be their kid, who will pay a dear price by not being allowed into day cares or school or places like public swimming pools without vaccinations. Much longer-lasting consequences than dealing with the brief side-effects that might come with a vaccine.

JMO

Or who ends up dead because their parents refused to vaccinate them. It's getting a little old hearing people say "We all got measles, and we all survived." Well you can regale us with these stories only because the dead tell no tales.

 

[MyBelle]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-health-officials-warn-against-measles-parties/

California officials warn parents to not throw "measles parties"...

I'm stunned that officials have to warn parents of something that should be as obvious as sticking your hand in a burning fire.

 

[Hiandmighty]

http://wlfi.com/2015/02/12/illinois-diagnoses-11-now-with-measles/

Illinois now has 11 measles cases

 

[Hiandmighty]

I'm stunned that officials have to warn parents of something that should be as obvious as sticking your hand in a burning fire.

I know, except Im glad they are spelling it out for those parents....

 

[MyBelle]

Or who ends up dead because their parents refused to vaccinate them. It's getting a little old hearing people say "We all got measles, and we all survived." Well you can regale us with these stories only because the dead tell no tales.

Exactly. I got the measles and I have vivid recollection of how very sick I was. I just don't understand the mentality of those who prefer to expose their children to the virus rather than vaccinate them. That makes absolutely no sense.

JMO

 

[Hiandmighty]

"To prevent the spread of measles and other diseases, the American College of Physicians and American College of Emergency Physicians urged parents to keep their children up to date on vaccines"

http://associationsnow.com/2015/02/amid-measles-outbreak-physicians-groups-urge-vaccination/?utm_content=bufferabed7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

[MyBelle]

I know, except Im glad they are spelling it out for those parents....

I remember when safety of seat belts were spelled out to parents and they ignored it... Infant car seats were optional at first...

JMO

 

[Charlie09]

Exactly. I got the measles and I have vivid recollection of how very sick I was. I just don't understand the mentality of those who prefer to expose their children to the virus rather than vaccinate them. That makes absolutely no sense.

JMO

But you have lifelong immunity now - people with vaccinations don't.

 

[Charlie09]

"Adults 20 years and older make up 59% of confirmed measles illnesses — and most had no record of being immunized as children. Now, health officials are wrestling with how to better monitor the vaccination levels of adults to prevent even broader spread of the disease. Right now, officials focus on tracking immunizations of young children."

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82790429/

No record doesn't mean no vaccination it means we don't have vaccination records.
IT may even mean that the vaccinations aren't providing lifelong immunity like we were promised.